Right Kind of Punishment
by xSirenSongx
Summary: Speeding, theft, hacking, B&Es, fighting, reckless endangerment…resulting in going to C.A.R.E. aka: the Cullen Adolescent Rehab Establishment. Enough said right? AU, AH, OOC, E/B-canon Formerly known as Our Life for the Pick-a-Pic Contest
1. Sentencing

**Pick A Pic Challenge**

**Title: **Our Life**  
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**Penname: **Kagome Hanyou

**Banner: **#100  
**Summary: **Speeding, theft, hacking, B&Es, fighting, reckless endangerment…resulting in going to C.A.R.E. aka: the Cullen Adolescent Rehab Establishment. Enough said right? AU, AH, OOC, E/B-canon  
**Rating: **NC17/M (due to talk of violence and for later purposes)

**Disclaimer: **Twilight is not mine; this amazing creation belongs to Stephanie Meyer.

**Beta-reader: **EnyaCullen4Ever  
**Word Count: **5,015

**Now that the contest is over and I didn't place I'm returning this story to the title I had originally planned. The title and the chapter title were the only things I had to change. This was a story written but not posted yet.  
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****Chapter 1: Sentencing**

"Two accounts of underage drinking, five accounts of reckless endangerment on a motorcycle, and one account of attempted suicide…"

"I WASN'T ATTEMPTING ANYTHING, MY FOOT SLIPPED!" I shouted angrily at the man behind the tall desk.

A loud audible sigh filled the room and my whole body snapped around to look at my father. He was sitting on one of the benches in the far back of the room, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes cold as frozen earth, as he glared at me infuriatingly. My stepmother was sitting beside him, she sat perfectly still as she listened to the judge listing off my rap sheet, a very faint smirk curling the corner of her mouth. In the last two years since my father, Charlie, had remarried, not one day passed where I had actually gotten along with my new stepmother, Tanya.

If only my mother hadn't abandoned me at ten years old, leaving me at my dad's for my usual two-week custody time then disappearing. It had been seven years now, and not one word about my mother's whereabouts or an explanation as to why she gave me up. The five years that followed were relatively normal, if not boring as hell in a small town with a population of three thousand.

"Miss Isabella Swan," the judge's deep voice snapped me from my reverie and I turned my head to focus on the aging man. "Normally, at your age I would send you to a juvenile detention center but I've taken into account your past history and incredible grades and have come to another conclusion. A police officer will escort you home where you are to pack some belongings, and then you will be taken to Seattle, to a care facility, there you will remain until you graduate." He looked at the bailiff and handed him a packet then turned his sad eyes to me again. "Inside the packet are the details of your stay at the facility and the terms of your parole. Please don't disappoint me Miss Swan, I can tell there is something good in you."

Disappoint him, why not? Everyone else in my life disappointed me. Wasn't I entitled to disappoint someone every once in a while? The only reason I had straight A's was that studying got me away from my psychotic stepmother.

I sighed dejectedly when the bailiff grabbed my arm then pulled me out of the courtroom; my father didn't look at me once. Once the bailiff had me secured in the backseat of the police issue SUV he handed me the packet then went and climbed into the driver seat, an officer sat in the passenger seat. Since there was a small courthouse in Forks, much to my surprise, the driving time to my house was less than five minutes.

Sad but true, I was honestly happy to be getting away from the house where my verbally abusive stepmother and her coy ways regarding my father resided. Why did he marry her in the first place? She was mean to me from day one of their relationship; I guess she hid it well. It had become quite obvious that Charlie would rather have his wife than his daughter when he totally snubbed me during the trial. He was probably at the diner with her right now, relieved that he was finally getting rid of me.

We reached the house and an officer escorted me into the house. I hastily ran to my room, where I extracted a large duffle from my closet and threw it on the bed then started stuffing as much clothes in it as possible. I then retrieved my backpack from my desk and shoved several books, CDs, and the last happy picture of my dad and me inside. I grabbed a few more, random things and tossed them into the duffle such as hairbrush, iPod, deodorant then zipped up the two bags. I then hollered for the officer to help me with my bags, and in a matter of a few minutes, we were loaded back into the SUV and heading down the road toward Seattle.

"Is it just me or are you actually excited to be leaving?" asked the bailiff, his voice a little on the happy, inquisitive side.

I smirked slightly and nodded at his question, if he only knew what kind of life I was escaping. Considering the drive to Seattle was going to take several, long hours, I decided to read up on the contents of the packet. I pulled out the papers and arched an eyebrow at what I saw in big, bold, red letters:

**C.A.R.E.**

_**Cullen Adolescent Rehab Establishment**_

_A center for helping teens to rebuild their lives in the fullest way and_

_Creating and sending out a better being than when they arrived._

_-Personal one-on-one relationship with caregivers_

_-Customized courses to suit the individual_

_-Regular academic learning schedule_

_-Counselors on site 24/7 for the help and support of the teens_

_-Group activities to strengthen social interacting_

_-Horseback riding and tending to animal to promote responsibility_

_-Friendly environment_

_100% success rate_

_**No one has gone home broken**_

Are they serious, I'm going to some troubled teen home? Oh well, it can't be any worse than what I just left right. I flipped through the pamphlet, it didn't look to bad, a huge library, small classrooms, lakeside property, surrounded by forests and the owners looked nice. A small picture of a young couple smiling printed on the back. The caption said he is a preacher's son and a doctor, she is a homemaker who couldn't have any more children, they lost their only child as an infant to SIDS and they wanted so badly to help children and teens in bad situations.

Well, that's nice of them, all things considering.

I put the pamphlet down and looked at the paperwork that had my parole stipulations on it. It was pretty basic and fairly simple as the law goes. No alcohol until I was twenty-one, no motorcycles until I was twenty-one, no vehicle until I was eighteen, keep my grades above a C average and report to my P.O. every month. Simple, right? I placed the paperwork printout on top of the stack next to me and a handwritten note shocked me.

_Miss Swan,_

_I normally don't give notes to my cases but I wanted to explain my decision for sending you to CARE. I know your stepmother and I know what she's capable of, but the law ties my hands. Normally, I would have sent you to juvie but I felt that choice was too harsh. The owners of CARE are my friends and I know they will help in any and every way they can. Please, prove to me you can overcome this roadblock created by your parents and surpass all of the expectations that people may place on you. I'll personally call the Cullens and let them know about your case._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Judge Robert Thomas_

_P.S. There is always a silver lining to every storm cloud. I can't wait for you to find yours._

Wow, this judge was really going all out for me; advantage to living in a small town I guess. How was I suppose to better myself when I was bordering on broken? Maybe this facility really could work wonders and help me to function as a proper human being again? I mean, there was a 100% success rate; it can't get any better than that.

This drive was going to be long and I had run out of reading material, since my bag was in the back so I opted for a nap. I rested my head against the seat and watched out the window at the terrain that whizzed by, increasing the miles between me and my stepmother and unfortunately my father that thought his wife could do no wrong, HA!

I woke up several hours later to the crunching of gravel beneath the tires and the rather bumpy movement of the car. I slowly opened my sleepy eyes and gazed out the windshield. My eyes widened and I sat up straight as I stared at the facility that came into view. I tucked the dyed red steak of hair that had fallen in my face while I slept behind my ear so I could get a better look. We rounded a corner covered in trees and an open fenced field with several horses running around next to a small lake came in to view. On the other side of the field was a huge, cream colored, two-story, ranch style home almost hidden in the trees. The pamphlet didn't do this place justice. This was a mansion, and I thought it was going to be a complex, concrete walls, barbwire, and security guards.

The SUV stopped in front of the main door and I continued to gape at the impressive residence, the place I will be staying at for the next several years. Internally I was doing a crazy, happy dance while my outside appearance seemed awed and silent. I heard my two companions exit the car and I remained where I was, still in too much shock to move. I then heard people talking and the gentle and kind voice of a woman, followed by a little giggle in the same voice, I couldn't help but turn to look.

What greeted my eyes was the same couple from the pamphlet, both wearing casual apparel and huge smiles. The woman tilted her head slightly in my direction and her expression seemed to light up more than it was already when she saw me in the car. Great, another hopeful person I can disappoint. It seemed as if even when I wasn't trying to disappoint others, I end up doing just that.

I slowly exited the car, taking in the rustic and earthy smells around me. It reminded me of Forks yet it was woodsier, no pavement smell to deter the scent of nature. I stiffened when I saw the woman turn from the men deep in conversation and walk toward me, the same smile on her face as before.

"Isabella? I'm Esme." Her voice was sweet, kind and motherly, the way I remember my mother's voice being when I was nine, before she _changed_. She offered her hand out to me, smiling warmly, waiting patiently. I hesitated for a minute, sizing her up, attempting to gauge if her actions were genuine. I slowly extended my hand and she took mine eagerly, her hazel eyes dancing warmly. "I know you're nervous and scared but think of this place as home. Let's take your bags to your room, alright."

I stared at her in disbelief then nodded warily. She was treating me like a niece who had just come home for the holidays and I was far from that description. I stared at her stunned, when she placed her fingers to her lips and let out an ear-piercing whistle, getting the men's attention. She nodded slightly toward the SUV and the officer quickly approached the car and opened the hatch. He took my bags out of the back and waited to be led the way.

"I'll get the paper work done while you're giving Isabella the tour," stated the blond haired man as he walked passed him.

Esme hurriedly walked toward the front door and I nearly had to run to keep up with her. Once inside, I was shocked again. The rustic theme continued throughout the interior as well, natural hard wood floors, handmade quilts on the white walls. To my left was an entryway into the living room, straight head was a hallway that most likely led to the kitchen and to my right was the stairs. It looked like a normal country home and it was amazingly comfortable.

I followed Esme up the stairs as she showed me where the boys and girls bathrooms where then we continued down the hallway and she continued talking cheerfully. "We have five other residences here at the moment; I hope you'll become friends with at least one of them if not all. You're lucky to arrive here on a Friday, which gives you all weekend to be acquainted and familiarize around here before you start classes on Monday. We'll have a schedule ready for you soon." Not once did her voice waver, it become apparent to me that this woman was a completely happy go lucky person.

She stopped at the end of the hallway and slowly opened the door before us. "This will be your room Isabella," she smiled then ushered into the room. I was shocked. The room was a bright sky blue color with a dark blue carpet, there was a window seat to my left, opposite the twin bed with blue and gold bedding. A dresser and bookcase was on the far wall, positioned between the closet doors. "I'll leave you to get settled. The other will be returning from class within the hour." She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder for a moment then headed out of the room, closing the door behind her.

The officer must have placed the bags on the floor while I was looking around. I sighed and crossed my arms as I gazed around my new bedroom. This place and that woman were going to make it very difficult to rebel. I sighed again then retrieved my bags from by the wall and placed them on the bed. It took me no time at all to empty my bags and I then shoved them under the bed.

After making the room as comfortable as possible with my meager belongings, I ventured out of the bedroom and down the hallway and stairs. I kept a watchful eye open as I slowly explored the building. I walked into the living room and noticed a big flat-screen television but nobody was present so I continued through the room through the glass French doors that led to the dining room, still nobody.

I heard muted giggling and walked under the archway that took me to the kitchen, but the laughter was coming from the open back door off the kitchen, so I slowly walked toward it. Something tall, dark and hard slammed into me, knocking me to the tile floor backwards.

"Hey, watch it," snapped a masculine voice irritably.

I shook my head, my senses stunned by the sudden impact and allure of the voice. My head shot up to see the retreating form of a tall male with coppery unruly hair draped in a long black trench coat. The form walked through the kitchen and disappeared around the corner, his feet thumping up the stairs.

In the next moment, Esme was helping me to my feet, apologizing for 'Edward's' behavior then she took off after him. Edward, huh…what a jerk. I stiffened and bit my lip when the room filled with two other tall males and two females, one shorter than I was.

"Oh, how cute! I love your hair." The small childlike girl with wild black hair and blue eyes danced over to me with a chipper voice and proceeded to play with the reddish streak of hair on my left side. "Is it natural?" I shook my head no; this pint-sized girl scared me. "I'm Alice…well actually Mary Alice but I prefer Alice."

She continued to bounce up and down as one of the males escorted her away. "Alright darling, let the girl breathe." There was an undeniable southern drawl to his voice as he kindly spoke to the small girl. She whined as he led her away.

I stared in shock after the bouncing girl that the tall blond male led her away into the living room. The other girl, a tall, leggy blonde-haired girl, brushed past me without so much as a nod and ventured up the stairs.

The last person in the room was the other male. He was tall with short dark hair and a huge smile that reached from one brown eye to the other. He stepped toward me and extended his hand. "I'm Emmett. What's your name?"

"Isabella," I said shyly, this bear of a man intimidated me and I took his offered hand hesitantly.

"Whatcha in for?" He asked calmly, as if he was inquiring about the weather.

"Um…" I glanced around the room timidly before answering him. "Reckless endangerment on my motorcycle and a little underage drinking…"

He laughed loudly, confusing me. "That's a new one. We all have a different reason for being here. I fought too much and they diagnosed me with ADHD. They caught Alice shoplifting clothes and makeup repeatedly. Jasper hacked into a main branch of banks and disabled their security for a week. Rose has had too many speeding tickets for her age. And Edward, he ran away from an orphanage at thirteen and got caught for breaking and entering."

His forthcoming nature shocked me. I was a little surprise by everyone's reasons for being here, and they were all the same. Esme bustling into the kitchen and frantically rushing around interrupted us from talking further.

"Dinner will be ready in an hour. Emmett dear, why don't you take Isabella into the living room and you can all get acquainted." Emmett nodded in agreement and ushered me from Esme's workspace.

I panicked when Alice bound up to me again the second I entered the room. "Oh Bella, you have to let me do your hair…it's so soft…I love hair…"

Bella? No one had ever called me that before. It was somewhat shocking that she had immediately given me a nickname and she didn't even know me.

"Alice, down girl!" scolded Emmett from behind me and she graced him with her extended tongue.

"Um, I'm just going to go to my room until dinner." I hastened out of the living room, leaving a whining Alice behind.

A sigh of relief escaped me the moment I closed my bedroom door. What kind of hell had judge Thomas sent me to? Was this a cruel joke on his part? Maybe I was a science experiment. Put the delinquent in to a perfect house, with perfect caregivers, with other delinquents that appeared perfect. HA!

There was a knock at the door and I automatically assumed someone had come up to get me for dinner, I learned my assumption was wrong the moment I opened the door. Piercing emerald green eyes stared intently down at me; I froze in place as he gazed fixedly at me. The mess of coppery brown locks contrasted nicely with his all black attire, his trench coat was missing now.

I held my breath as he opened his mouth to speak. "I was told to apologize for earlier…so, I'm sorry," he said coldly, callously and rudely.

The tone of his voice irked me. I could tell he didn't mean a word he said. I felt my blood start to boil as he stared down at me with his sharp green eyes, boredom etched into each one. I glared at him as intently as he was staring at me.

"Well, do me a favor and don't do me any!" I slammed the door on him, surprising even myself because I had never slammed a door on anybody before.

There was something about the green-eyed delinquent, that irked even my finer qualities and I didn't know what it was. If his sentence was the same as mine, I had a feeling we would be running into each other again, and I doubt any of them would be very pleasant.

I threw myself down on the bed and screamed into my pillow. Why was it that everyone here was so nice to me but Edward wasn't?

Little less than an hour later, Alice bounded into my room after a half knock on the door. "Bella, time for dinner!" She ran in and jumped onto my bed, landing on her knees and nearly bouncing me off the bed. I glared at her and the obnoxious girl cringed away from me.

Grudgingly, I followed Alice out of my room and down to the dining room. The moment I walked into the dining room I was wrapped in a pair of strong arms and dragged toward the table then plopped me down in a seat with a loud thud. I glared menacingly at the bear sized boy as he walked around the table and fell into his own chair. He shrugged and grinned sheepishly.

Alice took the seat next to me and started to prattle on about something regarding the stuff she was doing this weekend, I ignored her and watched as the table slowly filled with food and people. The tall blond girl called Rosalie brought food to the table along with Esme as the rest of the men filed to the table. Jasper sat straight across from Alice, Carlisle sat at the head of the table next to me and Edward sat right across from me and shot me a death glare.

Was he always like that? I was starting to think he didn't have a nice bone in his body and his middle name was _mean_. Sheets of paper was placed on the table next to my plate and I glanced up to the person that placed them there.

"Here are your class schedule and your weekly routine," Carlisle smiled kindly then reached for the bowl of salad in front of him, leaving me to look over my new schedule.

Naturally, I looked it over. The class sessions were normal, with two – hour and a half long classes, then lunch followed by another two – hour and a half long classes before our day was done with learning. After classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I had free time but on Tuesdays and Thursdays I had counseling sessions. I sighed at the idea of having to see a shrink. I then flipped to the other page that showed what events were available on what day and which activities were recommended for me. My eyes widened as I saw my name listed on Monday next to mealtime duty, I then saw that everyone else here was listed on a different day.

I looked up at Esme with eyes that resembled a deer in the headlights. "What's this mealtime duty thing and why am I listed?"

Esme giggled softly then handed the mashed potatoes to Rosalie. "It goes along with the socializing and responsibility régime of the program. Each person has a set day during the week that he or she has to make breakfast and dinner, and that individual draws the name of their helper from a box and every week they're helper is different depending on the drawing. Carlisle and I make breakfast and dinner on Sunday as a way of resetting for the week. The persons who made the meals the day before has clean up the following day and lunches are provided by the school system."

Talk about annoying. I'm a chef and a maid for Charlie and Tanya and now I'm a chef and a maid here as well. My chin dropped to my chest and I attempted to calm myself. I exhaled a slow breath just in time to talk the bowl of salad from Alice.

Dinner proceeded fairly normally, well from what I've seen of normal meals from TV shows. Either everyone talked about his or her classes, his or her therapy or what he or she planned to do this weekend. I remained silent as I ate and looked over the available activities for this weekend. Let's see, I could go to the lake, horseback riding, games, or sports. Not too many options really.

"Would you like to have a makeover this weekend?" Alice asked excitedly.

"Absolutely not, I'm fine with how I look, thank you very much!" Alice started pouting at my immediate refusal and I continued to ignore her.

There is no way anyone was going to poke and prod at me to make me look all sorts of girly. Edward scoffed from the other side of the table and I instantly glared at him and he stared back, he didn't glare or hold any malice in his eyes, but there was a hint of play and a dash of curiosity – both adjectives didn't sit right with me.

After a few minutes of intense staring, Edward asked to be excused and upon getting the okay, he took his dishes to the kitchen then disappeared up stairs. What was it about him that seemed to rub me the wrong way? Yet, I had this overwhelming urge to make him like me. I followed Edward's example and asked to be excused before taking my empty plate to the kitchen then I stormed up the stairs and straight to the room across from mine.

I stood before Edward's door and took several deep breaths before finally knocking on his door. I heard a groan and straightened to my full height then squared my shoulders and prepared myself to face the irritating troll. The door swung open quickly and upon seeing me his eyes narrowed to slits.

"Oh great, what do you want?" Edward rolled his eyes then leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest in irritation.

His sensual voice washed over me but his words stung. What was it about him that both intrigued me and yet pissed me off to no end? I fisted my hands and almost pounded them onto my hips as my brown eyes bored into his seas of emerald green.

"What is your problem? First you practically run me over in the kitchen, then you're constantly rude and mean and your always glaring at me like I just kicked your puppy and laughed in your face about it. Seriously, what is your malfunction with me?" I snapped and hissed my words at him and the whole time he stared evilly at me. His piercing gaze made me feel three inches tall – just call me Thumbelina.

"Do you really want to know?" his voice turned sinister and cold and I hesitantly nodded my head. Much to my surprise, he leaned in and put his face close to mine before he whispered his answer. "I don't like girls with flowing mahogany brown hair and rich dark chocolate eyes. Bah bye," he then took a single step backwards then closed the door on my face.

I stared at the white stained door that was a mere six inches away from my face, stunned. Slowly, I turned and stumbled into my own room and shut the door. When I had asked him what his problem was, what he told me was the last thing I would have expected. I slumped down on my bed and stared off into space as I made a poor attempt at doing the math in my head. He didn't even know me so why was he classing me with all the other brunette women he's know…Wait, why the hell do I even care?

After sneaking out of my room and down the hall to the designated girl's bathroom, I quickly brushed my teeth then ran back to my room. I slipped into my nighttime sweats that doubled as pajamas then climbed into bed after shutting off the light and grabbed my book off the bedside table after turning on the night lamp.

No matter how hard I tried to focus on the words on the page before me, my brain just wouldn't recognize the letters. My mind kept dwelling on the cruel and spiteful words Edward had just said directly to me.

'_I don't like girls with flowing mahogany brown hair and rich dark chocolate eyes…_'

'_I don't like girls with flowing mahogany brown hair and rich dark chocolate eyes…_'

The one thing I hate about dreams is the fact that you have no control what so ever regarding who and what is in the dream. That is why my dream last night was in reality a nightmare. I was both shocked and disgusted when Edward barged into my room, sat down on my bed then he leaned over and started to explore my mouth with his. It was incredible. My lips molded to his and I tasted a trace of mint, most likely from his toothpaste. For someone who had told me just a few hours ago that he didn't like girls with my traits, he was sure kissing me into oblivion. He then kissed my forehead and left through the door without so much as a word or an explanation.

My eyes slowly flitted open and I stared dumbfounded up at the ceiling. There is just something really wrong about having your first real kiss during a dream, when it isn't even real, and why the hell was I dreaming of kissing someone I had just met. Statistically, if I was to dream about anyone it should be Jake, I did spend most of my time with him down in La Push, but he was like my little brother – so no.

Yet, here I was, in a new home with new people taking new classes and on my first night here, I have a romantic dream about one of my housemates, and here's the kicker – he hates me. Why couldn't Charlie just kick me out like other annoyed parents? Then I could have stayed with Angela, she's offered a helping hand to me several times when Charlie and Tanya had drove me too far. However, no, Charlie had to make sure I would never come back and disrupt his life again. I wished he would see Tanya for what she really was and we could go back to the way things were before Tanya invaded our lives.

Now that I was away from Tanya things should get better, of course now, I have Edward to deal with. Talk about a win-lose situation. Wonder how long I'll have to wait to find my silver lining?

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_**Chapter End Notes:**_

This will eventually become a full-length story, don't ask me when, I have several other writing projects going at the moment. Next chapter will be about Bella's first weekend at CARE. What trouble could she possibly find…or will it find her?

Do you recognize the Judge's name?


	2. Relaxing

Twilight characters are not mine.

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**Chapter 2: Relaxing**

Don't ask me how I did it because I'm not sure myself. After the dream I had last night, there is no possible way I should have fallen back to sleep, but I did. To make matters even strange, in over the last two years I haven't had a good night's sleep until tonight and it was the best. My blankets and sheets comfortably cocooned me and I wiggled around a bit so none of the heat would escape the confines of my linen prison.

I buried my face into the pillow so not a bit of the sunlight could taint my eyes this early in the day. My mind drifted off to the events that happened yesterday. At the start of the day, I was in court, in front of the judge hearing what my life would be like after today. Then I was on my way to Seattle to enter C.A.R.E.

So here I lay, on a surprisingly plush mattress, in a house of seven other people I didn't know, six were kind and welcoming and one was completely uncouth and brutal. Things might seem a little strange right now but I was away from Tanya and all her manipulations of my father against me. I could finally relax and enjoy what was left of my teenage years.

"Bella, time to get up…"

My door slammed against the wall as something suddenly threw it open. I hid my face in the pillow and attempted to pull the blankets tightly around me. I failed. As soon as my fingers started to wrap around the comforter, some unknown force ripped it from my hands and from my body.

"Come on sleepy head, breakfast is almost done…"

I groaned at the loss of my warm and cozy surroundings. I sat up swiftly and glared at the tiny girl. "You are going to remake my bed later. Now get out so I can change." I snapped and pointed at the door. Despite the girls pouting face I stayed firm and continued to point at the doorway, finally she left.

After releasing a heavy sigh, I climbed from the bed and staggered my way over to the dresser. In a matter of minutes I was dressed and heading down the stairs toward the dining room. The aroma of bacon, eggs, and hash browns assaulted my sense of smell. I stumbled on the last step then made my way into the room where everyone else was already gathered and I took a seat in the same spot as last night.

Huge bowls of food passed between hands around the table and I stared dumbfounded as nearly everyone engaged in conversation. I gazed at each person in surprise. This was very new to me, having a meal at the dinner table, talking about their day and plans. This is what I had read about in books but never experienced firsthand.

Charlie would normally eat his dinner in front of the TV while watching a game and I would eat at the tiny kitchen table. Then Tanya came into his life and he started to eat at the table with Tanya. I chose to eat my meals upstairs in the solitude of my room. Not once had I sat at a table with my family and enjoyed each other's company. _This_ is what family should be like and after seventeen years I was finally witnessing it with my own eyes.

I felt a small but genuine smile start to crease my mouth and it felt good. I sat in silence listening to everyone's words while I ate my simple but delicious breakfast. Occasionally I would glance up when addressed or something said caught my interests. As I was lowering my head, I would see Edward staring at me fixedly from across the table. It was as if he was waiting for me to acknowledge something and I couldn't begin to figure out what it was.

Whenever I saw him staring at me, more intently then normal I would stare back at him just as attentively, maybe a bit mockingly too. The problems would start the second he smirked at me with his crooked smile and my face would heat up and redden…something it's never done before. I would immediately drop my head to look at my plate and I could hear hims scoff from across the table. This cycle continued three more times and I practically shoveled my food into my mouth.

As soon as I was finished eating I asked if I might be excused from the table. I took my dishes to the sink then quickly retreated upstairs to my bedroom. I shut the door firmly behind me then leaned against the cool wood. I tapped my head on the door a couple of times in a dismal attempt to clear my head of the green orbs that have been haunting me since last night.

What was it about him? Why does his very presence affect me? Was I already going insane?

I sighed in annoyance then threw myself onto the bed, groaning in irritation that I didn't have any answers for those questions. I doubt anyone actually does. I shuffled across the mattress and snagged my book off the nightstand then made myself cozy planning to spend the rest of the day in this exact spot.

Reluctantly, I did leave the room when they called lunch and dinner but I quickly returned to the confines of my room. Alice had made a scene at my latest departures but Esme was quick to jump in and reassure her that I needed time to adjust to my new environment. Esme's words didn't help the pout on Alice's face though and Jasper was swift to take over where Esme failed.

Back to my room, back to my book, back to the memory of the green eyes. I did however take a fast break from reading and ventured into the large bathroom to take a shower. Then right after I finished brushing my teeth, I was right back to reading my book, comfortably inside my blankets this time.

At some point during the night, I had fallen into a deep sleep. The green eyes were back, hovering over me, drawing me in with his presence then his hands were cradling my face tenderly. He pressed his lips gently to mine and I was lost to the sensation. This kiss was more sensual, more caring than it was last night. When he pulled away, I whimpered at the loss of his lips and a stunning and crooked smile appeared. He wrapped the blankets snuggly around my shoulders and kissed my forehead before he left my room.

I watched longingly as his silhouette disappeared through my bedroom door. I never knew a dream could make me feel this happy and excited and at the same time scared and lonely. I rolled over as a few tears dropped from my eyes. Why was my mind doing this to me? I was finally free of my manipulative stepmother only to be placed in a home with a gorgeous guy that hated me and now my imagination was giving me visions of a mysterious romance with said guy.

The mind is definitely cruel.

Again, sunlight filled the room in the early morning and I groaned as the evil beams of light attacked my eyelids. Not wanting a repeat of yesterday, I climbed from my bed feeling groggy and exhausted. I slowly made my way over to the dresser and fished out a sweater and a pair of jeans. Right after dressing, I headed down to the main floor.

Alice was just making her way up the stairs when I started to descend and she gave me a stern yet pouty glare. I scoffed as I walked by her and headed for the dining room where I could smell blueberry pancakes.

As per routine now, I took my seat next to Carlisle and gave him a lazy smile. My hand flew to my mouth to cover the yawn that escaped me suddenly.

"Isabella, are you alright?" Carlisle asked as he stared at me with a critical eye.

"Yeah, I've just been having some strange dreams lately." I jumped when there was a sharp screech of metal against glass and looked over to see a serious and pained look on Edward's face. I turned back to Carlisle, completely brushing off Edward's weird behavior. "I haven't been sleeping well," I told him sleepily.

"Is the bed okay, we can change-"

"No, the bed is fine," I interrupted him quickly. "It's great in fact. I've just been having dreams I've never had," I paused in my explanation, fighting off the blush I feared would appear at any time. "I think it's because I'm not used to this place yet." Carlisle nodded happily then dug into his plate of food.

"So what are your plans for today Isabella?" Esme asked from the other end of the table. I looked at her as if I was a deer caught in the headlights and I quickly rummaged around my brain for what was available on the grounds.

I finished my current bite of pancake slowly so I could think. "I was actually thinking about exploring the grounds; see what there is to do."

Esme's eyes brightened at my plans. "Don't forget to check out the game room and stables," her smile was huge as she told me about a couple more places. I nodded in agreement then went back to eating.

After breakfast was done I casually left the house and ventured out into the bright sunlit grounds. I walked along the brick path to the first building. When I opened the door, I saw numerous arcade games like pinball machines, an air hockey table and a pool table. Off in the far corner stood several tall bookcases filled with books with a couple comfortable looking recliners and a couch. Next to the books was a large television with every game system I could think of. The room was quite impressive for any person that was into games but my focus was on the bookcases.

As if drawn to the vast literatures, I walked straight over to the far wall. My hand subconsciously reached up as my eyes roamed over the spines of each of the books, there were several of my favorites, a few I have always wanted to read, and many more I hadn't even heard of. I sighed at the possibilities before me and I knew I was grinning like an idiot. I put the bookcases into the back of my mind then ventured out of the game room and back onto the path around the estate.

There was a large pool with a hot tub and I regretted not grabbing my swimsuit, not that it fit anymore as it was. Maybe if they allowed us to go into town sometime soon, I could get one with my measly savings. Next to the pool was a fully equipped gym with a few small screen televisions at each station so no matter who was working out, they could watch what they wanted.

I continued along the brickwork walkway and came to an enormous building. I peeked through the windows and noticed the rooms were set up like small classrooms. So, this was the school facility they were talking about. The rooms were small but cozy and inviting, nothing compared to the boring rooms back at Forks high school. There were fresh flowers, banners with colors, and various sculptures. I would rather be learning in a room like this one. I shoved myself off the white wood wall and continued around the grounds.

The sun was warming my skin as I walked around the vast yard. I was surprised that considering how large the yard was, it was extraordinary. A variety of brightly colored flowers in flowerbeds lined the large courtyard. An equally beautiful fountain adorned the center of the yard and I again felt like I had just walked into one of my historical novels.

On the far side of the grounds was a small playground, it was only a set of swings, a slide, and a small merry-go-round but it was cute and it felt like it fit here in this immaculate garden. I wondered if the Cullens ever had children in the program or if it was limited to only teenagers. I walked over to the tiny playground and ran my fingers over the chain of the swing, trying to imagine the children that would have played here.

A thunderous animalistic holler echoed throughout the grounds and I spun around instantly in the direction it came from. Further across the grounds was another large building, much like a barn with the same white wood siding. As if an alien force was pulling me, I walked toward the unusual sound. I opened the closed door then took a step inside and the smell of leather, hay and manure immediately assaulted my nose.

Several large heads snapped up to look at who had intruded on their home and I responded with a loud awestruck gasp. The seven pairs of dark eyes that stared at me held me speechless with their beauty. I walked over to the nearest animal a solid black mare and slowly lifted my hand to stroke her velvety nuzzle. She whinnied softly and pressed her nose harder into my hand.

I cooed at her softly as I got bolder and started to rub my hand over her muscular neck. "So you'll be the replacement for my motorcycle," I spoke calmly and the mare's ear twitched a little to the side. "I'll gladly take this trade."

The mare neighed noisily and nodded her head eagerly. It felt as if she was agreeing with me and I laughed happily, as she continued to nod excitedly next to me. I found a curry brush and diligently brushed out her coat, enjoying the soft feel of her black coat beneath my fingers. By the time I finished I could swear she had a smile on her elongated face.

Not wanting to leave the confines of the barn yet, I took a seat on a large pile of hay that was in the corner. I rested my chin in my hand and placed my elbow on my knees then simply stared out over the many stalls filled with the large magnificent creatures. I found the mountain of hay extremely comfortable and laid down on my side and continued to stare at the horses, mainly the black mare. I stared intently at the nameplate on the stall door and it was very fitting considering where she was, _New Hope_. I glanced around to the other nameplates and saw a few names that were along the same theme, _Second Chance_, _Loving Grace_, and _Gentle Angel_ but the other three were too far away for me to read.

There was a huge grin plastered on my face at just seeing the animal and knowing that I would get to be around them. My eyelids became heavy and I made a poor attempt at keeping them open, in the end, I failed.

My imagination was really starting to develop a brain of its own. It was constantly conjuring up Edward into my dreams and having him kissing me into oblivion. This time there was a new element, his hands. They caressed my cheek and ribs tenderly and I moaned into his kiss. His lips were hungry against mine and it brought on all new sensations for me that started in my stomach and traveled lower through my body.

When his lips left mine, they immediately missed his tender yet firm touch. Instead of kissing my forehead like in all the other dreams, he kissed my neck, which turned me to Jell-O in an instant. I actually felt my body melting into the hay when his lips touched my neck, then he was gone.

My dream ended so suddenly that I sat up so quickly that I fell of my makeshift bed to the floor. I glanced around the barn for anything and anyone suspicious. No one but the horses was with me. I brought my knees to my chest and rested my cheek against my jeans, feeling an overwhelming sense of loss, loneliness, and wanting.

"Bella…there you are," Alice shouted as she burst into the barn, startling the horses and causing them to neigh angrily.

"Alice, quiet!" I shouted at her without yelling and she instantly froze and looked around.

Quietly, she made her way over to me from the front door. Hastily she grabbed my wrist and with more force than I thought she was even capable of, hauled me to my feet and pulled me out of the building.

"Alice, what are you doing?" I asked her gruffly as soon as we were outside the barn and the small girl continued to pull me toward the main house.

"Getting you ready for what we do on the last Sunday of every month," she smiled over her shoulder but didn't elaborate.

"And that would be?" Much to my annoyance, she winked then turned her head back around so she could see in front of her. This girl was going to get it one day, soon. I figured the only way for me to learn what was going on was to follow Alice and see what happened.

Relentlessly, she pulled me through the yard and she wasn't about to loosen her grip obviously afraid I'd run if given the chance, which I would have. I grunted and complained the entire time she dragged me from the barn to the main house. I attempted to slam on the breaks the moment we passed through the back door and she continued to pull me through the kitchen.

"Alice, just tell me already!" I snapped at her and her grip on my wrist tightened.

"Nope, you'll have to wait and see." She literally towed me through the house and up the stairs then into her room. She forced me onto the seat in front of her vanity and I immediately tried to dart out of the room. "Oh no, you don't," she growled as she grabbed my shoulders and forced me back down.

"Let me go, this room scares me!" I shouted and my eyes darted around the room to the various pink and purple things, the numerous stuffed animals and the many colorful dresses hanging on the walls. This room was more than scary for someone like me…it was terrifying.

"Just be quiet. You'll be out of here soon so behave and be silent," she snapped in return then dashed into her closet and emerged a second later with something black and flimsy then laid it out on the bed. My eyes stayed lock on the flimsy fabric the entire time Alice did things to my face and hair. "Okay, time to put on the dress."

"Excuse me, put on what?" I asked incredulously, the last time I had worn a dress was ten years ago. Alice arched an eyebrow at my question then rolled her eyes as she went over and retrieved the flimsy black fabric that I could now see was the dress.

"I. Am. Not. Wearing. That!" I stated firmly and stood up to leave without a second glance behind me.

Her eyes took on a level of intimidating that had me frozen to the spot. "Put on the dress or I'll tell everyone that miss tough girl talks in her sleep."

My eyes widened at her implication. "When did you…?"

She handed the dress over to me then crossed her arms over her chest and glared at me. "When I found you asleep in the barn I hung outside for a little while. That's when I heard you mumbling and whimpering in your sleep. Then you suddenly woke up and fell off the hay, that's when I entered to get you."

I mumbled unhappily and stomped my way into her closet so I had privacy to change. I quickly stripped out of my clothes then pulled the dress on over my head and it fell to my knees easily. Slowly and self-consciously, I stepped from the closet and I heard Alice gasp loudly. I looked up to see her eyes were wide and locked on me.

"My god Bella," her whispered words cracked as her hands flew to her mouth in an attempt to conceal her surprise. "You should wear dresses more often, you look amazing."

I shook my head violently. "I don't think so. Why am I even in this get up?"

An evil smile creased her lips and I cringed at the look in her eye. She held up one figure implying that I should wait for her and she disappeared in to the closet. While she was gone, I turned toward the full-length mirror sitting next to her vanity and gasped at the vision before me. The girl that stared back at me didn't look like me at all and yet she did. She wore the same black dress that tapered at the thigh that I did and her hair was done up in a messy twisted bun. There was no way that that girl was me, she was too pretty.

Alice emerged from her closet in a purple sleeveless dress with a black belt and black flower lace, totally fitting for the small girl. She handed me a pair of black short-heeled shoes then she danced her way over to the vanity and quickly did up her hair in a messy bun, with several strands hanging loose. She spun around so fast that I immediately took a defensive stance.

She arched her brow questioningly and rolled her eyes then put on her silver high heels. "Ready?"

"Do I have a choice?" I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at her menacingly.

"Nope," her lips popped the 'P' as she grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of her room and down the stairs. It was a miracle I didn't trip on the slight heels and tumble down the stairs instead of quickly walking.

Esme, who was wearing a black and silver geometric cocktail dress, greeted us when we hit the bottom and she too gave an audible gasp at seeing me. "Isabella, you look stunning. Alice, beautiful as always." Alice gave a small curtsey then dashed over to Jasper's side who was dressed in a simple white button down shirt and jeans. Esme reached for my hands then held them out so she could examine me better. "Isabella, my god you're beyond gorgeous in this dress."

"Um, thanks. You look very beautiful too," I nearly stuttered in my return praise. Someone calling me gorgeous and stunning were not words I was used to hearing. Esme then took me by the shoulders and led me into the living room where everyone else was gathered and they had pushed all the furniture to the walls. Rosalie was dressed in a tight red strapless with jewels on her chest and hip. Emmett stood next to her in a light blue shirt and beige khakis. Carlisle, dressed in a white shirt and black khakis, rushed towards us with a huge smile on his face.

"Isabella, you're a vision."

My cheeks started to heat up due to all the attention I was getting but the sound of someone choking cut it off dramatically. Everyone turned his or her head toward the kitchen doorway to see what the commotion was. I was surprised to see Edward standing in the entryway, pounding his fist against his chest and the dark green shirt he wore. A bottle of water was in his other hand while he tried to clear his airway with the other. When he finally caught his breath, he shot me a wicked glare from under his long eyelashes. It was as if he was blaming me for him choking.

"Let's get this party started!" Shouted Alice and she pranced over to the stereo system.

"What party?" I squeaked in surprise and started to step backwards.

Esme placed her arm around my shoulders to stop me from retreating any further. "On the last Sunday of every month, we have a little dance party, sort of a way to unwind and let loose after a month of classes and sessions."

I cringed at the idea of dancing, I never was very good at it, school PE classes proved that. I watched in dismay as everyone paired off and there was only one person left without a partner. I stood up straight and proud, preparing myself for whatever derogatory comment he planned to say this time.

"I'll wait for someone else," Edward walked past me and headed for the couch. I was seriously beginning to think this guy hated me to his very core and all because of my hair and eyes.

"Pfft, as if," Rosalie snapped and dragged Edward over to me and forced us to hold each other before she returned to Emmett.

We didn't move a muscle. I don't think I could if I wanted to. My right hand was resting in Edward's large left hand and I thought my knees were going to give out at the slight contact of our skin.

"DANCE!" Shouted Alice in a hushed tone that startled both of us and we started swaying back and forth.

Without having to look, I could feel his eyes on me and I felt my cheeks darken with the passing seconds. Suddenly and almost violently, Edward pulled himself away from me and I stumbled back a few steps.

"This is ridiculous!" He yelled then headed for the stairs quickly.

"Just one minute young man," Carlisle hollered, successfully halting Edward in his steps. "That was very rude, apologize to Isabella."

I threw my hands up to stop any words of sorry but when Edward scoffed, I changed my mind.

"Sorry," poison and disdain filled his tone and for some unknown reason, it hurt.

"Not a very convincing apology," Carlisle crossed his arms and waited. Edward casually shrugged his shoulders and turned around. "At least wait to see who will be helping Isabella with the cooking tomorrow.

Edward stopped midway up the stairs and leaned on the banister, waiting. Esme brought over a partially closed box. "Just reach in and pull out a name."

Simple enough and if the gods liked me I wouldn't get Edward. I reached in and grabbed a piece of paper then pulled it out. The gods did like me…sort of. "It's Alice." There was a high-pitched screech and I knew immediately that it was Alice. I looked up to see Edward was already gone and I threw the piece of paper back in the box. "I'm going to bed now, goodnight everyone."

They all repeated goodnight as I climbed the stairs and quickly vanished into my room. Tomorrow would be the first day of my classes, wonder what they could bring. In a way, I was dreading what classes I shared with Edward. There was something else inside of me that craved to see the dark green recesses repeatedly. Guess I'll find out tomorrow.

* * *

**Chapter End Notes:**

What is real and what is a dream? If Bella has any more dreams about Edward like those she might self-combust. What is wrong with Edward? He sure has a stick up his butt doesn't he? Any guesses as to his problem or maybe about how school will be tomorrow? Remember there are images on my profile.

At some point I'm planning on introducing a set of twin girls. Any suggestions as to what their crime is?

I also have a poll up on my blog. I've outgrown my 'kaghanyou - KagomeHanyou' name and am in search for a new one. Please vote _http :/ eyesoftopaz . blogspot . com_(delete the spaces).


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